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Thread: Sealing Fiber DC Drums

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Little Rock, AR
    Posts
    344

    Sealing Fiber DC Drums

    I've always been a little queasy about using fiber drums for collection on a cyclone, though they obviously do work. Are there any standard protocol sealing the drum? I'm not talking about the seal between the lid and drum, but the drum itself.

    Thanks!

    D.
    I finally figured out how to deal with sawdust in my hair.

    I shaved my head.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2004
    Location
    Lewiston, Idaho
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    28,504
    I have mine for several years and have had no problems. I don't do anything special, just use the normal clamping ring
    Ken

    So much to learn, so little time.....

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    Amsterdam, NY
    Posts
    230
    As Ken mentioned, same for me.

    I did use some silicone sealant and construction adhesive around my inlet pipe and the pipe thru the lid. Other than that I haven't had any spots to seal or any issues with the drum.

  4. #4
    I'm skeptical of them. I've seen a pretty wide variety of construction quality. And every time someone is asking about symptoms indicative of a leak on their cyclone, it seems they're using a fiber drum (although I admit lots of people use them).

    I'd rather use one of the plastic drums instead. The side benefit is they're translucent so you can shine a flashlight at the thing and see how much debris is in it. The downside is that they're only available in limited sizes. I think even the 30-gallon is too large to fit under the cyclone in many home shops because the cyclone isn't high enough.

    If I was going to use a fiber drum, I'd go over each seem with some silicone and my finger.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
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    San Francisco, CA
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    Somebody on this board recently made the suggestion of a test for your dust bin. Get a trash bag big enough to enclose the bin, or just sheet-plastic to enclose it. Turn on the collector. If the plastic still hangs loosely, you're okay, and your queasiness should subside.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
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    SoCal
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    Somebody on this board recently made the suggestion of a test for your dust bin. Get a trash bag big enough to enclose the bin, or just sheet-plastic to enclose it. Turn on the collector. If the plastic still hangs loosely, you're okay, and your queasiness should subside.
    That's one of those "why didn't I think of that" nuggets. One giant lawn bag and you have your answer ;-)
    "A hen is only an egg's way of making another egg".


    – Samuel Butler

  7. #7
    There used to be a silicone product you could paint on your basement wall if you had some fine cracking and water was coming in. I would try to find that product, and paint your drum with it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2005
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    Highland MI
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    IMO it is a non issue.
    NOW you tell me...

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Southwestern CT
    Posts
    1,392
    I was surprised to discover there is significant air loss into the drums which causes issues in the cyclone itself (see video on link). Thanks for reminding me to place that order for a poly drum.
    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...e-Issue-Solved
    Attached Images Attached Images

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Chicagoland, IL
    Posts
    59
    Mine was water damaged.
    I sprayed it with 3 coats of leftover water based poly.

    If not damaged, I would not have bothered.

    Works ms as it should.

    YMMV

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Little Rock, AR
    Posts
    344
    Since I started this thread, I figured I should follow up.

    Executive Summary: Were this not a brand new installation and the drum provided by the manufacturer, right about now I'd use my fiber drum as a one-use burn barrel.

    We're not talking major leakage of the sort that blows chips into that expensive filter. In fact, if I didn't want to use bags (and the Oneida bag retainer) it would be in the undetected department, not enough of a leak to matter. Add in that bag and retainer, and that little leak becomes a monster that eventually collapses the retainer. Not at first, mind you -- After my most recent round of silicone and clamp checking, it looked pretty good. Ran it for a while (real usage, not just test running) checked again, and it looked okay. Ran it through the weekend, checked this morning and found the retainer pulling in again. Arrgh.

    I've neatly (but thoroughly) siliconed every seam and joint inside and out. I detected some thin spots in the gasket around the lid, and applied a thin leveling coat of clear silicone. I've tightened both hose clamps and checked for leaks with a smoke stick. And before someone asks, it's not a bunched up bag compromising the seal. I'm using a 3-mil thick bag that fits the drum well and is a little tight when pulled over the rim. The result is smooth as glassy lacquer. And yet the retainer still collapses.

    I envy you guys who can carry your drums outside and dump them. The subdivision would not take kindly to such behavior.

    Any ideas?

    D.
    I finally figured out how to deal with sawdust in my hair.

    I shaved my head.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
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    10,304
    Quote Originally Posted by Dan Case LR View Post
    Since I started this thread, I figured I should follow up.

    Executive Summary: Were this not a brand new installation and the drum provided by the manufacturer, right about now I'd use my fiber drum as a one-use burn barrel.

    We're not talking major leakage of the sort that blows chips into that expensive filter. In fact, if I didn't want to use bags (and the Oneida bag retainer) it would be in the undetected department, not enough of a leak to matter. Add in that bag and retainer, and that little leak becomes a monster that eventually collapses the retainer. Not at first, mind you -- After my most recent round of silicone and clamp checking, it looked pretty good. Ran it for a while (real usage, not just test running) checked again, and it looked okay. Ran it through the weekend, checked this morning and found the retainer pulling in again. Arrgh.

    I've neatly (but thoroughly) siliconed every seam and joint inside and out. I detected some thin spots in the gasket around the lid, and applied a thin leveling coat of clear silicone. I've tightened both hose clamps and checked for leaks with a smoke stick. And before someone asks, it's not a bunched up bag compromising the seal. I'm using a 3-mil thick bag that fits the drum well and is a little tight when pulled over the rim. The result is smooth as glassy lacquer. And yet the retainer still collapses.

    I envy you guys who can carry your drums outside and dump them. The subdivision would not take kindly to such behavior.

    Any ideas?

    D.
    Lose the bag inside the drum. You've never said how big your drum is, but this is what I do.... I buy trash bags big enough to enclose my chip bin. When the bin is full, I pull it out, and put the garbage bag on it like I'm putting a pillow case on a pillow. Then I invert the bin+bag, reach inside the bag to grab the lip of the bin, and pull the bin up out of the bag. The chips are in the bag, and you can put the bin back under the cyclone.

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Nashville, TN
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    1,544
    I would do what Jamie does if you can find a bag that fits. I use the same procedure on my single stage collector except I invert the bags instead of the drum to go into a ~30 gallon trash bag.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Dec 2011
    Location
    Little Rock, AR
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    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    Lose the bag inside the drum. You've never said how big your drum is, but this is what I do.... I buy trash bags big enough to enclose my chip bin. When the bin is full, I pull it out, and put the garbage bag on it like I'm putting a pillow case on a pillow. Then I invert the bin+bag, reach inside the bag to grab the lip of the bin, and pull the bin up out of the bag. The chips are in the bag, and you can put the bin back under the cyclone.
    I used to do much the same thing with my old single-stage DC. It works, though I've never managed to get the kind of cleaner transport I could get by tossing the bag every time.

    It just bugs the heck out of me that I blew $50 for an accessory that won't work. Not much in the big picture, but I an think of many things to spend it on instead.

    D.
    I finally figured out how to deal with sawdust in my hair.

    I shaved my head.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Toronto Ontario
    Posts
    11,247
    I've had mine for 13 years with no issues..............Regards, Rod.

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